The Chacma baboon, scientifically Papio ursinus and in Afrikaans the Kaapse bobbejaan (Cape baboon), is a noted resident of the mountains near the town of Hermanus. It lives here as throughout most of southern Africa and further north.
Baboons mostly sleep sitting upright, so from a distance one isnt always sure, but alertness is generally a survival skill.
These days baboons live wherever people allow them, adapting where food, water and resting places are available. Suitable areas for baboon social life are getting fewer.
Baboons eat grass, bulbs, fruit, insects and scorpions, although so omnivorous and opportunistic that new options including people’s larders will be explored, given half a chance.
At times the troops will be boisterous, their social life complex and often interesting to people. Similar to humans, baboon behaviour is driven by needs, curiosity and ingenuity. Much of it is well understood by people who mostly have excessive resources for safeguarding themselves and their interests against invasive baboon activities.
Baboon canine teeth are larger and sharper than those of lions and leopards. Yawning while staring at enemies in prefight mode ensures that the significant details are not missed by the opponent of the moment.
These agile primates spell risk for people but are in reality much more at risk themselves. The often-volatile interface between human and baboon life is far from sustainably thought through sufficiently. The arrangements established by people for ensuring a future for baboons in South Africa early in the twenty first century still need improvement (Riëtte, 2016; https://www.fernkloof.org.za).